Folding portable boat

Abstract

A folding portable boat is disclosed comprising two end hull sections and two middle hull sections each hull section being of a floatation material. The hull sections are hingedly interconnected adjacent to each other so they can be folded and unfolded in an accordion manner. The portable boat further comprises two seat boards, each collapsibly associated with one of the middle hull sections, and an arrangement of elastic cords for causing the seat boards to erect as the hull sections are unfolded and to collapse as the hull sections are folded.

I claim: 
     
       1. A folding portable boat comprising: a. two end hull sections and two middle hull sections each hull section being of a floatation material and each hull section having an outer portion, an inner portion and opposed lateral side portions;   b. the hull sections being hingedly interconnected adjacent to each other so they can be folded and unfolded in an accordion manner with the inner portion of each end hull section hingedly connected to the outer portion of one middle hull section and the middle hull sections hingedly connected to each other at their inner portions;   c. two seat boards each collapsibly associated with one of the middle hull sections; and   d. an erecting/collapsing means for each seat board for causing the seat board to erect as the hull sections are unfolded and to collapse as the hull sections are folded.   
     
     
       2. The folding portable boat of claim 1 wherein the erecting/collapsing means for each seat board comprises: a. a back having an upper edge, a lower edge and two side edges the lower edge hingedly connected to the outer portion of one of the middle hull sections;   b. two flanges each extending perpendicularly from one of the two side edges of the back and each flange having an opening in that part of the flange extending from the upper edge of the back;   c. two side boards, each being hingedly connected to one of the two lateral side portions of one of the middle hull sections;   d. the seat board hingedly connected to the upper edge of the back;   e. said erecting/collapsing means comprising two elastic means each being affixed to one lateral side portion of one of the end hull sections and each elastic means extending through one of the openings in one of the flanges and from there affixed to one of the two side boards so that as the hull sections are unfolded in an accordion manner the two elastic means operate to pull the back to an upright vertical position while simultaneously pulling the two side boards to upright vertical positions with the seat board falling by gravity to a horizontal position perpendicular to the side boards and the back;   d. a side board securing means for securing the side boards in upright vertical positions during use; and   e. back securing means for securing the back in an upright vertical position during use.   
     
     
       3. The folding portable boat of claim 2 wherein the side board securing means comprises two slots in the seat board one for engaging each of the side boards to hold the side boards in upright vertical positions. 
     
     
       4. The folding portable boat of claim 2 wherein the back securing means comprises: a. at least one first cord attached at one end to one lateral side portion of one of the end hull sections and attached at an opposing end to the upper edge of the back, the first cord being fully extended when the hull sections are unfolded; and   b. at least one opposing cord attached at one end to one lateral side portion of one of the middle hull sections and attached at an opposing end to that part of the flange extending from the back at the point approximately opposite to the point on the back where the first cord is attached, with the opposing cord being fully extended when the hull sections are unfolded.   
     
     
       5. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a collapsible transom for mounting a motor or a rudder, the transom comprising: a. a transom plate hingedly attached to the outer portion of one of the end hull sections, the transom plate having an approximately smooth inward facing surface;   b. a support plate having an approximately smooth inward facing surface and being hingedly attached to the end hull section inwardly from the transom plate for supporting the transom plate in an approximately vertical position by engaging the approximately smooth inward facing surface of the transom plate; and   c. an elastic means attached to the transom plate and extending to the support plate for releasably engaging the support plate so that when the elastic means is released from the support plate both the support plate and the transom plate fold to permit the hull sections to be folded for storage, and so that when the elastic means is engaged it holds the support plate in a fixed position against the approximately smooth inward facing surface of the transom plate so that force transmitted to the transom plate in either direction through force exerted on a motor or a rudder causes the transom plate to deflect forward or backward and return to an approximately vertical position when the force is removed.   
     
     
       6. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a removable centerboard removably attached to one of the end hull sections so the centerboard may be attached after the hull sections are unfolded and removed prior to folding the hull sections. 
     
     
       7. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising two removable centerboards each removably attached to one of the end hull sections so the centerboards can be attached after the hull sections are unfolded and removed prior to folding the hull sections. 
     
     
       8. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a storage compartment in one of the middle hull sections. 
     
     
       9. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising two storage compartments each in one of the middle hull sections. 
     
     
       10. The folding portable boat of claim 1 wherein the two middle hull sections are hingedly interconnected at their inner portions by means of a detachable hinge so the folding portable boat can be separated into two separate units. 
     
     
       11. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a gunwale extending along the length of the lateral side portions and the outer portions of the two middle hull sections, along the inner portions of the two end hull sections and along approximately two-thirds of the length of the lateral side portions of both end hull sections; and wherein the gunwale defines compartment into which the seat boards and the erecting/collapsing means collapse when the hull sections are folded. 
     
     
       12. The folding portable boat of claim 11 wherein the gunwale has a plurality of openings for use as handholds or through which lines can pass or be tied. 
     
     
       13. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a skin which encases the floatation material of which the hull sections are made wherein the skin is made from a material selected from the group consisting of fiberglass, aluminum, and thermoplastic. 
     
     
       14. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a skin which encases the floatation material of which the hull sections are made, the skin being made from a woven structure/resin transfer molding. 
     
     
       15. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further comprising a holding means for holding the hull sections in a folded position when the boat is folded. 
     
     
       16. The folding portable boat of claim 1 further providing a detachable canopy comprising: a. a frame detachably mountable to the lateral side portion of the hull sections;   b. a canopy detachably mountable to the frame; and   c. a plurality of lines for tying the canopy to the lateral side portions of the hull sections and to the outer portions of the end hull sections.   
     
     
       17. The folding portable boat of claim 6 further comprising: a. a mast removably attached to one end hull section; and   b. a sail attached to the mast for sailing.   
     
     
       18. A folding portable boat comprising: a. two end hull sections and two middle hull sections each hull section being of a floatation material and each hull section having an outer portion, an inner portion and opposed lateral side portions;   b. the hull sections being hingedly interconnected adjacent to each other so they can be folded and unfolded in an accordion manner with the inner portion of each end hull section hingedly connected to the outer portion of one middle hull section and the middle hull sections hingedly connected to each other at their inner portions;   c. a back having an upper edge, a lower edge and two side edges the lower end hingedly connected to the outer portion of one of the middle hull sections;   d. two flanges each extending perpendicularly from one of the two side edges of the back and each flange having an opening in that part of the flange extending from the upper edge of the back;   e. two side boards, each being hingedly connected to one of the two lateral side portions of one of the middle hull sections;   f. a seat board hingedly connected to the upper edge of the back;   g. two elastic means each being affixed to one lateral side portion of one of the end hull sections and each elastic means extending through one of the openings in one of the flanges and from there affixed to one of the two side boards so that as the hull sections are unfolded in an accordion manner the two elastic means operate to pull the back to an upright vertical position while simultaneously pulling the two side boards to upright vertical positions with the seat board falling by gravity to a horizontal position perpendicular to the side boards and the back;   d. a side board securing means for securing the side boards in upright vertical positions during use; and   h. back securing means for securing the back in an upright vertical position during use.